Upper-pulling machine.



E. BROTHERS. UPPER PULLING MACLHNE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I, 19x5.

Patented D00. 31, 1918,

nnrrnn srarns earner orricn.

ELI BROTHERS, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORIPO- RATION OF NEW JERSEY.

UPPER-PULLING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application filed August 21, 1915. Serial No. 46,662.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELI Bnornnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Upper-Pulling Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to upper pulling machines and is herein shown for illustrative purposes as embodied in an apparatus adapted for use in pulling a shoe upper preparatory to presentation of the shoe to a pulling-over machine, although many portions of the invention are adapted for use in other upper pulling machines. It is well understood that under many shoe manufacturing conditions as, for example, when uppers are scant or small for the last, or when the last is peculiarly shaped, the upper requires to be pulled to locate it in such relation to the last that the pulling-over machine grippers can conveniently seize the edge of the upper. Another reason for this preliminary operation is that by pulling the loose upper for wardly on the last before it is subjected to the pulling-over operation, the upper materials are made to set more snugly to the rear part of the last and a better fitting shoe is produced. This preliminary pulling was formerly done with hand pincers, but superior results are now obtained by the use of the apparatus forming the subject-matter of United States Letters Patent No. 1,139,613 granted May 18, 1915, on application of P. J. VVentworth. In one of its as pects the present invention is an improvement on said apparatus in that it provides means for preliminarily stretching the upper transversely as well as longitudinally, the construction shown comprising means for pulling the upper at opposite sides of the forepart while itis held under longitudinal pulling tension This has the advantage of drawing the upper down to the last between the instep and the toe where it otherwise usually bridges more or less, and also the advantage of bringing the portion of the upper which is to be seized by the side grippers of the pulling-over machine into such relation to the edge of the last that said grippers can conveniently engage the upper. The use of this invention saves time of the pulling-over machine operator in getting the upper properly gripped, and such use also enables scanter uppers to be successfully employed than would otherwise be possible because the upper is in effect stretched twice, transversely as well as longitudinally, going to the pulling-over machine after the preliminary stretching.

A further feature of the invention consists in the combination with a toe gripper of a bottom rest movably mounted to per mit the shoe to be moved manually relatively to the gripper in a direction to pull the upper longitudinally. In the construction shown the bottom rest is mounted to swing about an axis so disposed relatively to the shoe that the shoe is not only tipped but is carried bodily backward from the toe grip per by the movement of the rest in response to pressure of the operators hand upon the shoe. Effective means is thus provided for straining the upper longitudinally without undue friction upon the peripheral surface of the last. Combined with means for pulling the upper transversely, such longitudinal upper pulling means has further important advantages in that it affords the operator an opportunity to proportion the longitudinal pull to the transverse pull as the operation on the work progresses by tipping the shoe, for example, toward the toe gripper to relax in-some degree the longitudinal tension; and by tipping the shoe in this manner, moreover, the operator may cause the side grippers to pull the upper backward slightly over the ball of the last to insure a better fit at this portion of'the shoe when the shoe is lasted.

Other important features of the invention consist in novel gripper controlling means and in certain novel details of construct-ion and combination of parts exemplified in the illustrated machine. more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a rear elevation of the illustrative machine, one side gripper mechanism being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, one side gripper being omitted to show the shoe rest.

The machine shown comprises a frame barlO and a cover plateQO. 7 operating bar 16 is engaged at having a table 52 which is adapted to rest on a work bench and is channeled to provide straight longitudinal and transverse dove:

tailed guide-ways 3 and 4 inwhi'cli toe and side grippers are adjustable independently toward and from each other for adaptation to sizes of shoes.

extending through a cap plate 6 and'threaded into the foot plate 8 ofthe gripper, said plates embracing and clamping upon a r1 9 at each side of the guideway'. These grippers are stationary, or substantially stationary, during the operation of the machine "and the last is moved relatively to them.

From the foot plate 8 of each gripper rises a relatively fixed gripper bar 10 which is channeled vertically as shown in section in. Fig. 1 and has afiiiied to its upper end a jaw 12. A cooperating jaw 14 is pivoted to bar 10 and has a tail piece overlaid by a roller 15 on the upper end of a jaw operating bar 16 which is movable up and down in ,the channel of bar 10. The jawoperating bar is vertically slotted to receive a closing spring 18 which is confined under compression between the lower end of the slot in the bar and a cross-plate 19 supported by Each jaw its lower end by a lifting lever 25.='-'Th1s' lever is fulcrumed to the frame below the table 2 and hasaslotted end embracing a roll on the lower end of'the bar 16. Lever :25 is engaged onits lower side by an operating lever 26 which is fulcrumed to the frame at 27 and: has a roll on its upper end and a laterally inclined face on its lower 7 end. The lower end of lever 26 engages a vertically movable operating head 801011 a rod 32 which is arranged to be lifted by a treadle'35 and returned downwardly by a spring 34.

Both'of the side grippers shown in the drawings and the toe gripper are constructed and operated in the same way as the gripper just described, the'lever 26 for each gripper engaging the adjacent side of the operating head 30. This operating head and spring 34 normally maintain the levers in the position shown in'F'igI'lwith the gripper jaws open. By depressing the treadle 35 the head 30 can be raised the contacting'en'ds of levers'26 and their the closing'springs 18 are allowed to operate to depress the jaw operating efiect gripping of'the shoe upper. By re-' leasing the treadle the spring 34 is'allowed to act for depressing the operating head 30 and turning the levers 26 andj25 t'o'lift'the jaw operating bars to theposition shownin Fig. '1, where the jaws 14 iswing'open "by gravity.

The operating head 30 has anti-friction tained open.

1 toe gripper above thetoe gripper lever 26 islocated higher on the head than the rolls which engage the P side gripper levers 26. The headis also out Adjustment of each gripper is maintainedby a thumb screw 5 influence of the closing spring 18 before the side gripper levers, and the toe gripper to rei'ult is that as the head 30 is raised the toe gripper lever 26 is allowed to turn under the close while the sidegrippers are'fsti'llanain:

The'rod 32 is extended above the head 30.

to providea support for a shoe rest adapted to engage the bottom of'a shoe presented'to the grippers. The parts are so arranged that the rod and the Sheena are initially below shoe engaging position and when the is closed the rod arrives in position to. constitute an abutment about which the last can be rocked to efiect longi tudinalpulling of the upper to set it forwardly about the heelpart of the last and draw it down last. Tofaeilitate'thisuse the shoe resting member 40 is connected to the rod by a pivot 42which is offset forwardly from the rod 32. A spring 44 and shoulders belowthe pivot hold member 40 upright and an ad-f justable stop movement.

wardly and backwardly directed force applied by the workman to the rear part of the last will cause the ineniber40 and the last to move about the pivot 42, the. entire last having a component of backward movement 45 limits its rearward tipping away from the toe gripper. It has hereto;

fore been proposed to arrange for rocking a last about a stationary abutment, as in my prior Patent No. 1,135,945, and to arrange for sliding a last directly backwardly away V from toe grippers, as in Patent No; 1,118,965. r The backward and rocking movement here provided combines the advantages of both I am advised The operator maintains his foot upon the treadle while the upper is being pulled'lon' gitu'dina'lly by manipulation of thedast, thus'enabling him to raise or to lower the last relatively'to the side grippers which.

are standing opento'recieve theupper, and

the last can also be turned laterallyto proportion the longitudinal pulling strain as the inclined instep face of the With this arrangement down- .110 prior arrangements and is broadly novel as When the operator desires to do so, he will close the "side grippers by a' furtherdepres- 1 sion'of the treadle, It should be understood that'the sidegripper operating means and the bottom rest are so arranged that the side grippers will" always close before the rest will haveraised' the "last "too high for the grippers to engage the being free, and open around the bottom'res't upper, the machine between the side grippers and in the rear of them to permit the above-described manipulations of the last to pull the upper longitudinally while the shoe and rest are in a lower position than that at which the side grippers will close. After the side grippers have closed the bottom rest 40 may be further raised to force the last upwardly into the upper and draw the upper down to the last where it may have been bridged from the instep to the toe during the longitudinal pulling of the upper. By tipping the last forwardly about pivot 42, excessive longitudinal stretching of the upper will be avoided while the upper is being stretched transversely by the elevation of the bottom rest 40. Such forward tipping movement of the last relatively to the side grippers tensions the upper backwardly to a slight extent over the ball of the last and against the base of the instep and causes it to fit better over the ball of the last when the shoe is lasted. The guideway for the toe gripper is of sufficient length to permit adjustments for engaging the sides of the upper by the side grippers at any desired points between the toe and the instep of the last.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that by this invention a machine is provided by which an upper may be pulled longitudinally to set it about the heel part of the last and then also pulled transversely to draw it down to the top face of the last between the toe and the instep, which latter result could not be obtained in the pulling mechanism of Patent No. 1,139,613. Furthermore, the possibility of turning and tipping the last upon the bottom rest relatively to the side grippers permits correct adjustments of the initially tensioned upper upon the last, including straightening and positioning the tip seam, to be obtained before the upper is seized by the grippers of the pulling-over machine and thereby increases the capacity of that machine.

Another respect in which the use of this invention is valuable is that the side grippers pull the upper down to the last and pull the edges of the upper into position for con.-

venient engagement by the pulling-over machinegrippers. Time is lost in positioning the edges of many styles of uppers in the side grippers of the pulling-over machine becausethe upper is bridged from the instep to the toe and does not reach to the edge of the last at the sides when the shoe is presented to the pulling-over machine. This loss of time is saved by the use of this in vention. In fact, the preliminary stretching of the upper effected by this machine makes it possible successfully to pull over shoes on the pulling-over machine which are cut so scant that they can not be seized by the grippers of the machine until after being subjected to the operation of this new machine. In this way an economy in upper stock can be effected which alone pays for the cost of operating this machine, and the twice pulled shoe retains its shape better than the shoe having the larger upper and pulled to a less extent.

The improvement in methods of making shoes herein disclosed is not claimed in this application but in a divisional application, Serial No. 246,522, filed on July 24, 1918.

Having described the invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a rest to sustain a shoe with its sole face downward, toe and side grippers, a table having guideways in which the side grippers are'adjustable bodily toward and from each other and the toe gripper is adjustable bodily toward and from the side grlppers, and operating means organized to permit longitudinal stretching of the upper by use of the toe gripper and thereafter to effect transverse stretching of the upper by use of the side grippers.

2. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a rest to sustaina shoe with its sole face downward, toe and side grip pers, and operating means constructed and arranged to permit longitudinal stretching of the upper by use of the toe gripper and the shoe rest before the side grippers seize the upper and thereafter to effect transverse stretching by use of the side grippers, said rest being movable by the operator to cou trol the extent of longitudinal stretching of the upper independently of the extent of the transverse stretching as the operation of the machine progresses.

3. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a rest to sustain a shoe with its sole face downward, and toe and side grippers, the shoe rest being pivoted under the shoe at the rear of the toe end for tipping movement longitudinally of the shoe to carry the shoe rearwardly from the toe gripper.

4. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a rest to sustain a shoe with its sole face downward, and a toe gripper, the sole rest being pivotally supported and the machine being constructed to permit the shoe to be tipped about said pivotal support of the rest as a fulcrum for giving the last a bodily movement backwardly and raising its toe relatively to the toe gripper to stretch the upper longitudinally.

5. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a toe gripper, and a fulcrum rest for the shoe pivotally supported below the shoe and arranged to permit the shoe to be tipped manually relatively to the gripper about the point at which the rest is sup ported.

6. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a toe gripper, and resting means upon which the shoe can be fulcrumeol, said resting means being constructed and arranged formovement to effect a bodily tipping movement of the shoe longitudinally away from the toe gripper in response to pressure or" the operatorshand upon the shoe.

7. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, relatively movable gripping jaws adapted to receive the margin of an upper when the shoe is presented thereto in the hand of a workman, and a sole rest con structed and arranged for movement with the shoe in response to pressure of the workmans hand upon the shoe to tension the upper on the last, said. parts being constructed and arranged to eifect a relative bodily movement of the last and the gripping jaws longitudinally of the shoe to tension the upper.

8. An upper pulling machine hav1ng, 1n combination, relatively movable gripping jaws adapted to receive the margin of an upper when the shoe is presented thereto in the hand of a workman, and a sole rest about which the shoe may be turned by pressure of the workmans hand upon it to tension the upper on the last, said rest comprising a supporting member and a shoe engaging memberpivotally connected to the supporting member substantially opposite to the ball portion of the shoe and arranged to cause longitudinal bodily movement of the shoe away from the gripping jaws when the shoe is turned on the rest to tension the upper.

9. An upper pulling machine having,'in combination, a shoe rest, a gripper, a gripper jaw closing spring operatively connected with the jaws of the gripper, and operating means constructed and arranged to be operated manually to open the jaws and hold the closing spring under compression and also for manual manipulation to release the closing spring, said operating means being also connected to the shoe re t for moving said rest relatively to the gripper.

10. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a shoe rest, a gripper, a spring to close the gripper, a tronger spring nor mally holding the gripper open, and means for rendering the stronger spring operative or inoperative.

11. An upper pulling machine having, in

combination, a shoe rest, a plurality of grippers, a closing spring for each gripper, an opening spring adapted to overcome the closing springs, and operating means arranged to overcome the opening spring and to control the times at which the several closing spring shall act.

12. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a shoe rest, toe and side grippers, a closing spring for each gripper, an opening spring adapted to overcome the several closing springs, and operating means adapted for movement to overcome the opening spring and constructed and arrangedto restrain the side grippers from closing while the toe gripper closes.

13. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a' shoe rest,.a gripper, a closing spring operatively connected with the gripper jaws, an operating bar arranged to be depressed by the spring to close the gripper, a lever having a lifting connection with the bar, and a treadle-operated rod having a head formed and. arranged to hold the lifting lever at rest with the gripper open and to permit movement of the lever allowing the closing spring to act when the treadle rod is raised.

14. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a hoe rest, a gripper, a closing spring operatively connected with the gripper jaws, an operating bar arranged to be depressed by the spring to close the gripper, a lever fulcrumed at one end and having a sliding connection at its other end with the bar, a second lever fulcrumed between .its ends and having a traveling connection with thefirst lever to raise the bar, a treadle-operated rod having a headerranged to engage and operate the second lever and a spring arranged to hold the treadle rod in the position to maintain the gripper open.

15. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a shoe rest, side grippers, gripper closing springs, and gripper opening means including two levers associated respectively with the two side grippers and having opposed. arms and a treadle-operated controller movable between said opposed lever arms.

16. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a shoe rest, side grippers, a toe gripper, and gripper operating means including a lever associated with each gripper and having an inwardly directed arm and a controller-engaged on three sides by the gripper levers and constructed and arranged to cause gripper and side grippers successively.

the operation of the toe 17 An upper pulling machine having, in

combination, a shoe bottom rest, a gripper, a closing spring for the gripper, means to hold the pring from closing the gripper, and manual means to release the .closing springand to operate the bottom rest to move the shoe last away from the gripper for stretching the upper while the gripper remains substantially stationary.

18. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a shoe, bottom rest, a toe gripper, side grippers, separate closing devices for the toe and side grippers, and means for moving the bottom rest to force the last away from the grippers, said means being constructed andarranged to cause the closing of the toe gripper upon the upper to be effected and then a movement of the bottom rest followed by closing of the side grippers and further movement of the bottom rest to stretch the upper.

19. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a shoe bottom rest, toe and side grippers and operating means constructed and arranged to close the toe gripper, advance the rest in a direction to move the last for stretching the upper held by the toe gripper, and then close the side grippers and further move the rest for stretching the upper held by the side grippers.

20. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a shoe bottom rest, gripping means arranged to engage the upper at the side and toe of a last, means for causing the toe gripping means to seize the upper, said shoe bottom rest being constructed to permit the last to be tipped manually to tretch the upper lengthwise between the toe gripping means and the last, means to cause the side gripping means to seize the upper, and means for moving the last with relation to the side gripping means to stretch the upper transversely.

21. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, downwardly acting side and toe grippers, a lastbottom rest and operating means all constructed and organized to permit a shoe to bepresented to the machine sole face downwardly with its toe pointing away from the operator, said operating means being constructed to cause the upper to be seized by the toe gripper and then-to permit the last to be moved with the aid of the last rest relatively to the toe gripper to stretch the upper longitudinally and ubsequently to cause the sides of the upper to be seized by the side grippers'and the last to be raised by the bottom rest to stretch the upper transversely while the operator controls the angular relations of the last to the last rest and grippers. I

22. An apparatus for pulling an upper preparatory to presentation of the shoe to a pulling-over machine having, in combination, means to pull the upper forwardly on the last, said means operating to cause the upper to bridge from the instep to the toe of the last, and means arranged for use after the forward pull has been efl'ected and while the upper is held under tension for pulling the upper transversely to draw it-down to the last between the instep and the, toe, said apparatus being constructed to permit the operator to vary at will the forward tension of the upper relatively to the transverse tension during the transverse pulling operation.

23. An apparatus for pulling an upper preparatory to presentation of the shoe to a pulling==over machine having, in combination, means to pullvthe upper forwardly on the last, said means operating to displace relatively to the edges of the ball of thelast those portions of the edge of the upper which are to be seized by the side grippers of the pulling-over machine, grippers for seizing said portions of the edge of the upper, and means for moving the last away from said grippers while the grippers are substantially stationary to pull the edges of the upper into position for more convenient engagement by the pulling-over side grippers.

24. An apparatus for pulling an upper preparatory to presentation of the shoe to a pulling-over machine having, in combination, a toe gripper and a tilting shoe bottom rest in position to receive a shoe with its sole down and its top face before the operator and constructed for use in pulling the upper forwardly on its last through a backwardly tipping movement of the last, and means arranged for operation while the forward pull is maintained for drawing the sides of the upper into a relation to the edge of the last to be conveniently engaged by the preparatory to presentation of the shoe to a pulling-over machine having, in combination, a toe gripper and a last bottom fulcrum rest arranged to receive a shoe and stretch the upper longitudinally with the toe of the shoe toward the rear of the machine, said rest being constructed to permit the shoe to be tipped relatively to the toe gripper to stretch the upper, and side grippers arranged to engage the sides of the upper and stretch it transversely across the last after the upper hasbeenstretched longitudinally.

26. An apparatus for pulling an upper preparatory to presentation of the shoe to a pulling-over machine having, in combination, a toe gripper and a last bottom fulcrum rest arranged to receive a shoe and stretch the upper longitudinally, side grippers arranged to engage the edges of the longitudinally stretched upper at the will of the operator, and means for operating the fulcrum rest to raise the last-and eflect stretching of the upper transversely across the last by the side grippers. v

' 27. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a toe gripper, a fulcrum rest between which and the gripper the upper of. a shoe on a last may be stretched longitudinally by manipulation of the last, side grippers, and means for operating the rest after the upper has been stretched longitudinally the operators hand upon it while the upper s oe in'either direction at will about an axis grippers and tom rest to pull the to more the last relatively to the side grippers for stretching the upper across the last. I,

28. upper pulling machine having, in combination, a toe gripper, for engaging an upper on a last, a fulcrum rest movable relatively to the gripper to permit the upper to be stretched longitudinally by a manually eiiected movement of the last, side grippers, and means for relatively moving the side the last to stretch the upper transversely across the last, the machine being free and open around the bottom rest between the side grippers and in the rear of them to ermit manipulations of the last to pull the upper lon itudinall while the shoe transversely and rest are located '11 upper seizing relation to the side grippers.

29. Annpper pulling machine having, in combination, grippers for engagin an upper at the toe and at opposite sides of a last, a shoe bottom rest, and operating mean constructed andarrangedto permit longiti iinal stretchin of the upper by the toe grip- "er through movement of the last and the shoe rest inde endently of said operating means before the side rippers seize the upper and thereafter to effect transverse stretching by use of the side grip ers.

30. An upper pullin machine having, in combination, rip ers for engaging an upper at the toe and at opposite sides or a last, a shoe bottom rest, means for effectin relative movement of said grippers andbotupper both longitudibelly and transversely, said bottom rest be ing movable in response to pressure of the shoe about an axis extending laterally of the sho to permit the operator to proportion the longitudinalpnll to the transverse pull as the upper pulling operation progresses.

31. Anupper ulling machine having, in

combination, toe and side grippers for engaging the upper of a shoe on a last, a shoe bottom rest movably mountedto permit-the shoe to be tipped lengthwise by pressure of is held by the'toe gripper to pull the upper forwardly on the last, and means for subsequently etfecting relative movement of'the last and the side grippers for pullin the upper transversely.

32. An upper pulling machine having, in combinatiomgrip ers for engaging an upper at the toe'and at opposite sides of a last, a

V movable shoe bottom rest, and manualmeans for effecting relative movement of said gripers and bottom rest to pull the upp r, said parts being so constructed a to permit the o' crater by movement of said rest to tip the extendin laterally of the shoe as the upper pulling operation prcgr'esses.

33; An upper pullin machin having, in combination, grippers or engaging an upper 34:. An upper pulling machine having, in

combination, a toe gripper, and ashoe bottom rest pivotally mounted to swmg about an axis extending laterally of the shoe, the

axis of said rest being so disposed relatively to the rest and to the toe gripper as to cause pressure of the operators hand upon the rear part of the shoe to swing the shoe and the rest together in a direction to carry the toe end of the shoe diagonally rearward from the toe gripper. r

35. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a toe gripper, and a shoe rest arranged relatively to said gripper to engage the bottom of the shoe at the fo'repart, said rest being mounted to swing about an axis extending laterally of the shoe and in such relation to the shoe engaging portion of the rest as to cause the rest to be swung'in response to pressure of the shoe in a direction to carry the toe end of the shoe upwardl and backwardly from the toe gripper.

36. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a gripper for engaging an upper at the the end of a last, and a shoe bottom rest pivoted to swing about-an axis substantially opposite to the ball of the last tor tippingthe shoe rearwardly awa from the toe gripper to pull the u per.

37. In an upper pulling machine, a griper comprising gripper jaws and a closing spring, Spring operated mechanism for overcoming said closing spring to permit the jaws to open, and means for operating said mechanismto release the closing spring for closing the jaws.

38. An upper pulling machine having, in combination, a rest for engaging the bottom of a shoe on a last, an upperengaging gripper, a closlng spring for said gripper, operating means for moving the bottom rest to force the last away from the gripper to pull the upper, and mechanism arranged to be controlled by said bottom rest operating means for releasing said closingspring to permit the gripper "to close uponthe upper 1 y toward and from the shoe pulling machine having, in 1 combination, a shoe rest, a stationary gripper support provided with guideways, toe and side grippers adjustable along said guideways toward or from the shoe rest each independently of the others, means for securing the grippers to the support in adjusted position, and means for moving the shoe rest to cause the upper to be pulled by the grippers while the grippers are held stationary. 10

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ELI BROTHERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

